Heal Me
by Undefined12
Summary: Eric and Sookie have been best friends since the third grade. Will the troubles of growing up and growing apart be too much for their friendship to handle? Or will it bring them closer than ever before? AU all Human
1. Chapter 1

Thanks so much for checking out my story! It's been a while since I've written anything but this idea just came to me one day. Really look forward to you guys' constructive criticism. No beta so all mistakes are my own. Don't own the characters.

Everyone has a best friend. Someone they would do anything and everything for and get the same in return. I do too, or well, at least I did. My name is Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman and I have been best friends since the day he stuck up for me against bullies. I was eight and he was nine. My child hood was to say the least pretty rough. My parents and brother died when I was only six years old from a freak flash flood. My Grandma and Grandpa, Adele and Earl Stackhouse, took me into the Stackhouse plantation home when I had nowhere else to go. You see, I have no other family left. My grandparents had one other child, Lisa, other than my father and she passed away from cancer before my parents died. My cousin Hadley, Lisa's daughter lives with my Grandparents and I also.

Living in Bon Temps means all this is public knowledge, and it kind of makes us the outcasts; the weird family because I didn't have parents. That made me an easy target for the school kids, the constant teasing and antagonizing of being different made it difficult to find friends; but it introduced me to my best friends, Tara, Lafayette, and Eric. Tara and Lafayette are black and being in the Deep South made it hard for them to find friends too, so we all stuck together and soon became inseparable.

It wasn't until the third grade when Eric moved from Scandinavia to our little corner of Louisiana. He fit into our group of misfits immediately what with being lanky, skinny, and foreign causing him to be labeled as strange immediately. We welcomed him with opened arms. He and I became the closest of all because of the first day we met. I was being bullied by Andy Bellefleur, the usual bully, he was making fun of me for not having parents and right before he could push me down, Eric stepped in and pushed Andy down and told everyone else, "If you're going to do anything to her, you have to go through me first.". Ever since then we've been tighter than glue. One day after a particularly tough fight Eric had gotten into in the sixth grade, we had been sitting in the tree house and while I cleaned his cut up hands, we made a pact. A pact that we would always stick together no matter what, and that one day we would be together, for real and then he pecked me on the lips, real sweet like and chaste and told me that he would see me tomorrow at school. I can't say I never had a crush on him because that would be a lie. I try my best to live by God, but I make mistakes and sin just like everyone else, yet that would be the biggest lie I had ever told.

High school might've been the toughest time of my life, Freshman year, my beloved Grandfather disappeared while on a fishing trip and we never heard or saw from him again. Bon Temps had sent out a diving crew to search the swamps, but if he had been out there, the gators probably would have already gotten to him. He was there one day then gone another. After two years we filled an empty casket with his favorite things and buried them in a plot with his tombstone, but my Gran never gave up hope.

High school was also difficult because Eric had changed. Physically and mentally; he joined football and became the school's star quarterback, at 6'4" with blonde hair, cerulean eyes, a jawline that was as sharp as a knife and huge muscles, the girls followed him around everywhere. He befriended the people that had picked on us our whole lives, and that for me was the hardest thing to understand.

I'm not ugly by any means, I've got curves in all the right places and bright blue eyes and long blonde hair, the guys don't make it any secret about wanting me, but I've still never dated anyone. None of the guys are the guy I want to be with. I could never be with someone that had tormented me when I was a child. Unlike Eric, I remember the hell I was put through and how cruel other kids could be. So I stuck with Lafayette, who came out as gay and his cousin Tara when Eric went off. We still hung out all the time there for a while. He would come over for dinner and I would go to his house and study with him. Eventually those days just started becoming less and less.

He was always going on dates with different girls, and I'm not naïve enough to believe those were just dates and that nothing happened, he became, for lack of a better word, a manwhore. He told me the day that he lost his virginity to one of the sluttiest girls in our school, Dawn Green. He didn't even think anything of the fact that he just broke my heart into pieces. No matter how much I deny it to Tara and Lafayette, I always believed that we'd keep that pact that we made back in the sixth grade sitting in my treehouse.

Now, it's the summer before junior year and Bill Compton just moved into town. I'm working at Merlotte's the local Bar and Grill. My cousin Hadley and Lafayette work here as well, it also really helps Gran out with the bills. On the hottest day of the summer, Bill Compton walked into our run down establishment and was seated at my table.

"Howdy-do, can I get your order?" I said as I pulled out my notepad and pen.

"I'll have a Lafayette Burger, please" replied Bill shyly, which I found rather endearing. His dark brown shaggy hair and dark eyes gave off a mysterious vibe. It pulled me in and made me want to know more about him.

"Great! I'll take this back to our cook and be back in a jiff with your order!" I said with my brightest smile and practically bounced all the way to give Lafayette the order.

"Hooka who's gotten you's all excited, huh?" He glances around the bar and sees Bill sitting in the corner. "Ah. Honey do you's got your eye on that hunk of mystery over there?" He asks with a leer. Giggling I reply, "Maybe, what's it to ya?" While winking at him, and checking back over my shoulder, I see Bill is still staring at me. I could see myself really liking him, shy and gentlemanly; he also wasn't around torturing me when I was a kid either. I feel those pesky little butterflies start to flutter at the prospect. I know, how desperate sounding right, the first guy that I could possibly see myself with I'm already nervous and excited and nothing's even happened yet.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eric and his group of "friends" enter the bar. They also sit in my section and I stiffen when I see Maudette Pickens sit herself right down in Eric's lap. They were an off and on type of thing, really the longest thing that Eric had ever had with a girl. Lafayette calls my attention that Bills food was ready and I pick it up and scurry over to him.

"Here you go! Hope you enjoy the meal!" I say cheerily with my best smile in place and making eye contact with him. He blushes and replies "Thank you. It looks delicious! Are you Sookie Stackhouse?" he asks sweetly.

"Why, yes I am! You're Bill Compton, right? We live right across the Cemetery from each other!" I answer. His face changes and contorts to a look of embarrassment and he asks "If this is too forward I understand, but I was wondering if I could call on you sometime?" His blush skyrocketing and causing me to smile even wider, he was just so darn sweet!

"Of course! I would love that!" I reply back sweetly. I make myself scarce to allow him to eat his meal, just occasionally checking in to see if he needs anything. Once he's finished and paid I notice he left his phone number on a napkin. I quickly slip it into my pocket and proceed to clean up the table. When it looks like Eric's group is ready to order I walk over to their table and pull out my handy dandy notepad and pen. I had notice Eric trying to grab my attention since he walked in but I ignored it.

"Are you guys ready to order?" I asked with my fake smile plastered on my face. The one I use with rude costumers, Eric could also tell the difference between smiles. He always could.

"Yeah, we just want the usual, right guys?" Eric asks and the guys reply with grunts of acceptance and the girls cheerily pipe in a 'Yep!". Before I can head over to give Lafayette Eric reaches out and grabs my hand, disrupting the girl currently residing on his lap, "Can I talk to you, when you go on break?" he pleads with his eyes, knowing how I can never say no to him I reluctantly agree and tell him, "It's gonna be 'round forty-five minutes." He nods is assent and I make my way to Lafayette with the order, who gives me a pitiful glance, which immediately makes my irritation prickle "Just don't" I say before he gets the chance to say anything to me about it.

The next forty-five minutes seem to crawl by at a snail's pace. I notice Eric glancing my way, as if to make sure I don't somehow run off before he gets a chance to talk to me. When it's time for my break I signal him to follow me and we head out back so he can say whatever it is he needs to say.

"Hey Sooks, who was that guy you were flirting with?" he asks suspiciously while eyeing me the whole time. "It was Bill Compton, he just moved in across the cemetery from me. Why?" I ask with equal suspicion and a raised eyebrow, which I actually got from him. "I don't know" He rubs the back of his neck with one hand while looking down, and then he looks back up and says "just want to make sure he wasn't, uh, I don't know. I was worried about you. You don't flirt with guys usually. I was just wondering if something was wrong" he said.

"Why do you act like I've never been interested in a guy before?" I ask with irritation lacing my voice. "Besides he's a gentleman and I plan on getting to know him better anyways, so I guess you can get used to seeing me flirt with him" I say and turn to head back towards the door, "My breaks just about over and I'd really like to grab a bite to eat first. You should probably get back to being Maudette's chair." I say sarcastically.

He grabs my arm again with a strange look on his face, but it soon disappears and he says "Just be careful ok?" I nod my assent and we both head back in. When I start back to work I see Maudette has found herself an actual chair instead of using Eric as one. Maybe this night wouldn't be so hard to get through.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed! I don't plan on this being very long and finished hopefully this week(that's my plan at least) because I'm on spring break and once I'm back in school I'll have no time! I'd love to hear ways that I could make my writing better from you guys! I can never fix my own writing by reading it myself LOL. I also thought I would have this updated sooner but I haven't. I've been struggling with the anxiety that I thought I got under control. So if this chapter isn't too great just let me know, thanks! Don't own these characters.

Have you ever just wanted to get away from anything and everything? Yeah, me too hence the reason I'm currently on the edge of my property with Lafayette and Tara passing around a bottle of green apple Smirnoff. Sometimes after long shifts or just particularly hard weeks we come out here and do this but only when it's necessary. The night air is warm against my bare legs and arms and the grass is starting to get a little dewy as we're sitting here but it's nothing to bad.

Lafayette is the first to break the silence, "Have you guys ever wondered what's really up there?" although he's gesturing towards the stars I understand his double meaning. I slowly reply "Yeah… I think somethings up there." Tara stays silent and just continues to stare up at the stars. This is why we do it. Not to talk and be loud but to be able to just relax and get away. Before long the silence is broken by the sound of a twig snapping.

We all glance towards the sound quickly. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, I can feel I'm being watched, by what or who I don't know. After a few minutes of silence we go back to chatting quietly and sparsely when suddenly there's a rush of noise; the sound of something charging towards us as if on a rampage. I jump up quickly and regret it almost as fast. The world is spinning from the alcohol I've already consumed and I barely make out the image of a person rushing towards me. Suddenly hands, so hot they seem to scald me, grab my shoulders. Sensing danger, my fight or flight instincts kick in and because they've grabbed me I can't run, I might as well fight.

"Get off me!" I yell loudly while swinging my fists and wriggling as much as possible to get away. All I get in return is a deep chuckle that makes me pause. Then I realize, "Eric! You bastard! What in the hell is wrong with you!" I say angrily. He just laughs, one of those belly laughs, where he throws his head back and his eyes twinkle and it makes those pesky little butterflies stir in my stomach. I shake my head to get those thoughts out of my head. I look back up at him and realize that his arms are around my waist and I'm still leaning against him so I quickly pull away and sit back down next to a chuckling Lafayette and Tara.

"That was funny man, but maybe next time you can let us in on it so you don't scare the piss out of us too" Tara says snidely to Eric. I scoff, "Of course, I'm always the one getting scared. One of these days I'm going to get all of you good. So you guys better watch out."

Eric sits down next to me, close enough that our legs are barely brushing against each other. He stretches out his legs and leans back to rest on his hands, causing his arm muscles to bulge and look even more mouthwatering than usual. No! Bad Sookie, don't think like that. Eric clears his throat and asks, "so how come I wasn't invited this time?"

Lafayette is quick with the reply, "Well considering the last, I d'know maybe twelve times we's asked, you was busy with yo otha friends hmm." Eric takes the chiding and looks down, and actually looks ashamed. "I know I haven't been around for you guys in a while" He takes a deep breath and continues, "I don't know what's been going on with me. I'm not even close with them, but now that I'm 'in' I can't get out. I want to, but I don't. I like knowing I have some sway over these people. I like knowing that they listen to me, meaning I can protect you guys." He rubs the bridge of his nose with his thumb and fore finger, "You know I love you guy's right? That no matter how much time I spend with those assholes I'll always come back to you guys" all the while he's holding eye contact with me. I'd love to infer that he's saying this directly to me, but I know he's not. We all just silently nod our heads because we do know this.

I pick up the bottle and take a swig all the while enjoying the burn as it goes down. Once it settles in my stomach and leaves the nice warm feeling I love, I pass the bottle on to Eric. Eric silently nods to me in thanks and takes a long drink from it before passing it along.

Before too long we're all drunk off our asses and I decided it was best to head on home. The sky was taking on a lighter shade and I figured it had to be around three or four in the morning. "Hey guys, I think we should probably head on back to the house, yanno unless y'all wanted to sleep in the sticks." I suggest while attempting to stand up on my own. Eric grabs my arm to steady me, and him, while he stands up too. Eric wrapped his arm around my shoulder for support while we all walk back home. His muscular arm that's so warm, I can feel it radiating heat through his hoodie. All I can think about is how I want more. I subtly try to snuggle closer, his scent attacks me and my mind goes hazy. He smells masculine with a hint of cologne and just Eric.

Without conscious decision I open my mouth and say, "You smell like the ocean in winter." The words tumble out before I can stop them and I can feel my face going red.

Eric throws his head back and laughs, almost knocking us both off our barely there balance. He tightens his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer, "I'll take that as a compliment." He replies with a wink. His cheeks still rosy from the alcohol he's consumed.

I keep my mouth firmly shut after that the rest of the walk home. I silently enjoy the feeling of him and I don't want to say anything else to give me away. If he knew how much I relished in this, he would surely make fun of me for months.

Once we make it to the door, because there's no way anyone is driving under the influence, I silently open it so as to not wake Gran and Hadley. They all immediately take up their usual spots, Lafayette and Tara on the two recliners and Eric on the couch, which still looks ridiculous with his body dwarfing it. I go and grab blankets and pillows for everyone to sleep with and make my way to my bedroom. After changing into a pair of flannel pajama shorts and a tank top, I make my way to the bathroom. After doing my nightly routine and using the bathroom I go back to my room and see Eric sitting on my bed.

"Hey what are you doin'? Do you need something?" I ask with worry evident in my tone. I have to be a good hostess of course. Gran would tan my hide if I weren't.

"No. Well yes. Maybe, I don't know. I just wanted to talk to you, is all." He says as he peers up at me with bright blue eyes through thick blonde lashes. Of course I can't say no to those eyes.

"Sure what do you want to talk about?" I say shyly and crawl over him to get to my favorite side of the bed next to the wall.

"You know I care about you, right?" He says timidly and scratches his eyebrow. He's laid down on his side and we're facing each other now.

"Yeah, why?" I reply equally as timid. I'm not sure where this is going, but I have to keep in mind he has been drinking.

"What if I told you that I really liked someone and have for a while. What would you do?" He finally says, though it comes out all in one breath.

"Oh" my heart shatters, this is it. He's finally found someone. "I'd be happy for you. You deserve it. I just think you should take it slow with them, if you're serious." I tell him seriously. If he's found someone, I'd rather him be happy and make it work.

He gives me a strange look that I can't read before he leans in and gives me a kiss on the lips. I feel an electric shock go through me and it reverberates through my chest. I open my eyes and we stare at each other for about a second, but it feels like it could've been minutes. Next thing I know, we're kissing again and this one isn't so chaste. I can't tell you for the life of me who leaned in first, but all that matters now is that we're kissing. His large hand comes up and cups the back of my head and he kisses me a little bit harder. My arms reach up around his neck and I pull him closer. He groans and parts his lips and his tongue sweeps out along my bottom lip asking for entrance. I don't hesitate in giving it to him and our tongues meet in a fierce battle for dominance. Eventually his tongue wins and he sweeps his tongue through my mouth making my knees feel weak and causing heat to pool in my lower belly.

I pull away for a breath and suddenly I remember, this is my best friend, he's drunk, he just told me he really cares for someone, and we shouldn't be doing this. I gently push him away and give him a small smile. "You can sleep in here if you want, but I'm really tired." For a minute, he just searches my face and then he nods. "Night Sooks." He says as he reaches over to flip the switch on the lap.

Yeah "night Sooks" indeed, it's already hard enough to share a bed with a giant. It doesn't help when said giant likes to cuddle. It's gonna be a long night, I think to myself with a sigh.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey so sorry for the wait, I've had tests like crazy! Hope this doesn't seem to hastily put together. I really wanted to get you guys something. Thanks for the reviews, hope you like this chapter! I don't own the characters.**

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For me, waking up is possibly the hardest thing. Being all warm, cozy and safe with large arms wrapped around me – wait a minute! What?! I slowly turn over as to not disturb the sleeping person next to me and come face to face with Eric Northman. Oh… Everything from last night suddenly raced back into my mind. The talk, the kiss, the way his lips felt on mine, oh my. Okay, it's time to get up. There's no way that he meant to do that, so I just can't think about it. If I don't think about it that means it didn't happen, right? Ok Sookie, that's what's gonna happen. We're just gonna pretend it didn't happen and nothing is gonna change.

I slowly slither out of his iron like grip and make my way down stairs. After using the restroom and doing my morning routine I head to the kitchen to start breakfast. Instead of changing anything up I go with the usual pancakes and scrambled eggs with bacon. Meandering slowly into the kitchen, Lafayette stretches and lets out a big yawn.

"Whatcha cookin' good lookin'?" Lafayette says with a large smile.

"The usual hangover cure, pancakes and bacon!" I reply happily. While I'm flipping the pancakes Lafayette gets started on making the scrambled eggs.

"So," Lafayette starts, with a sly grin. "where's Eric at?" he asks while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. My face turns beet red immediately and I turn away from him under the guise that I'm busy stirring the batter.

"Well ya see…" I chuckle nervously, "he fell asleep in my bed last night." I lower my voice barely above a whisper and quickly scan the room to make sure no one else hears, "he kissed me last night also." I say all in one breath.

"Hooka!" Lafayette yells out and I quickly cut him off.

"Shhh! Lala please! Don't tell anyone, specifically Tara! I don't know if he even remembers it or if he does and regrets it so please, don't say a word!" I say before he gets a chance to say anything else.

"Baby girl, I understand. That boy has wanted to kiss you for years, I could just see it. Not to mention feel the sexual tension between you too!" Lafayette said. I blushed furiously, though I couldn't deny the fact either.

"I just don't know-" I say, but before I can finish a deep voice, rough with sleep, says, "Don't know what?" Just the sound of his voice gives me shiver.

Lafayette quickly jumps to my aid and says, "whether or not to add blue berries to the other half of the pancake batter." Knowing that blueberries

Eric gasps, "How could you not?" While grasping his chest, as if his hearts in pain. I laugh and make a grand gesture of adding the blueberries to the batter.

Breakfast goes off without a hitch and soon Tara joins us in the kitchen to eat, tara and Lafayette on one side of the table and Eric and I on the other side. We're all eating and laughing. I ask Eric to pass me the syrup and after he hands it to me, his hand comes to rest on the exposed skin of my upper knee. Butterflies jitter through my stomach with such great intensity that I squirm just a little bit. I chance a glance up at Eric and he passes a subtle smile my way. Instantly, I know he remembers the kiss and that he doesn't regret it. My cheeks heat up and the pesky heat that's heating up my cheeks, also heats up my lower belly as well. His thumb makes, what's supposed to be soothing, circles on my skin. How can one touch from this man make me feel like I'm on fire?

Suddenly, there's four loud knocks on the door. Shocked that someone is here this early in the morning I stand up to make my way to the door. I immediately miss the warmth from Eric's hand on my leg and I'm irrationally angry with whoever disrupted our breakfast. Whipping open the door my eyes promptly find the dark eyes of one Bill Compton.

"Hi Sookie, I'm glad to see your home!" He says with what seems to be false excitement. He just doesn't seem like the type to get excited over much, or anything.

"Well seeing as it is about eight thirty in the morning…" I say trailing off, "we were just in the middle of breakfast." I say kind of impolitely. Promptly chastising myself afterwards, knowing if Gran had heard that I would've been throttled. "Would you like to join us?" I ask to make up for being so rude.

"No, no. I already ate, I just came to ask if you would like to do something this evening, perhaps dinner?" His dark brown eyes look at me pleadingly.

Eric's face pops into my head, yet I don't know what's going on with him, or even if anything is. It certainly seemed like it when he kissed me and had his hand on my leg this morning, but what if he goes to see Dawn later.

Making up my mind, I smile at Bill and hesitantly agree, "Sure, dinner sounds good." There's a sound of a chair being loudly pushed back and loud steps carrying off towards the back of the house.

Bills face lights up with joy, "Excellent! I shall pick you up promptly at seven o'clock. Have a wonderful day, Sookie." He then turns and walks briskly back towards his house.

I mutter a "you too" because he's out of ear reach by now. Shall? Who even says shall anymore? I think to myself and make my way back inside.

Once I reach the kitchen I notice that Eric isn't at the table anymore. I get worried, remembering the loud chair push and heavy, upset footsteps. "Hey you guys, where'd Eric go?" I ask either of two still at the table, Lafayette, who has a mouthful of pancake and eggs motions toward my room with his fork.

I briskly walk back towards my room and see Eric gathering his stuff up, like he's leaving.

"Eric? What are you doing, you haven't even finished breakfast yet?" I state.

"I know but I figured you probably want us out as soon as possible to prepare for your date tonight." He says gruffly, all the while not looking at me.

"My dates at seven tonight, it's eight in the morning. That's like, what? Eight hours? You don't have to leave, you can at least finish your breakfast. What's really wrong?" I ask, hopping against all hope he'll tell me he doesn't want me to go.

He quickly turns and holds my gaze for a few seconds. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but decides against it. He pushes past me and stops at in the door way, he half turns and says "I know we haven't talked about it, but I assumed after what I said last night that something had changed. I guess I was wrong." He shakes his head and walks out the door. Oh God, what have I done?


End file.
